The academic year kicks off in Praxis! We interviewed two of our students to find out how they got along.

The academic year kicks off in Praxis! We interviewed two of our students to find out how they got along. The academic year has also started in Praxis. For this autumn we’ve prepared two Passivhaus courses we’re very excited about We want to share with you the experiences of two of our students, who are …

The academic year kicks off in Praxis! We interviewed two of our students to find out how they got along.

The academic year has also started in Praxis. For this autumn we’ve prepared two Passivhaus courses we’re very excited about

We want to share with you the experiences of two of our students, who are successfully skilling-up in Passivhaus construction.

Casa Sg Costa

Photo: Joan Giribet

The academic year has also started in Praxis. For this autumn we’ve prepared two Passivhaus courses that we’re very excited about. On October 24th, we start our Construction Verifier course, and on November 7th we’ll begin our Site Supervisor course. Both courses (currently in Spanish only, but soon available in English!) will help you gain advanced skills to successfully meet the on-site challenges of large-scale Passivhaus builds.

We want to share with you the experiences of two of our students, who are successfully skilling-up in Passivhaus construction. We’re really happy to see how more and more professionals are working towards creating sustainable and energy efficient architecture. We spoke with Toni Picó, CEO of Growing Buildings and Passivhaus Tradesperson, and Álvaro Martínez, CEO of Martinez Gil, technical architect and Passivhaus Designer.

I feel very satisfied. It’s everything I hoped for and more!

“The course has an eminently practical tone, without skimping on the theoretical concepts. I’ve learnt a lot from the different teachers, talking about real projects.”

Toni Picó

CEO at Growing Buildings

Passivhaus Tradesperson

I’ve taken a step further as an expert in Passivhaus

“I’m really happy to have taken the course. I highly recommend it to professionals who want to prepare for getting on-site with high-performance building projects.”

Álvaro Martinez

Technical Architect

Passivhaus Designer


Praxis: Which course have you taken with us?

Toni P: I did the Passivhaus Site Supervisor course and passed the exam, so now I have the additional qualification of “Site Supervisor”, the add-on to my Passivhaus Tradesperson qualification, which I already had. When I heard that Praxis was giving this course, I didn’t hesitate for a moment to sign up, so that I could become the first professional in Spain to achieve this qualification!

Álvaro M: I took the Construction Verifier course. I managed to pass the exam, so I’ve got the additional qualification of Construction Verifier, the add-on to my Passivhaus Designer qualification. I’m the 1st certified Construction Verifier in Spain so I’m excited about that!


Praxis: What was your work like, before doing our course?

Toni P: I’ve been working for more than 25 years in the real estate and construction sector and 6 years in the Passivhaus sector. I work as Project Manager or Main Contractor, for the construction of single-family Passive Houses. From now on, I’ll also offer the Site Supervisor service for developers, homebuilders, contractors, and architectural and Project Management practices, who are building high-performance buildings to Passivhaus standard.

Álvaro M: I have been working in Ibiza for about 10 years, and lucky enough to have participated in several Passivhaus projects.


Praxis: What led you to sign up for the course?

Toni P: I’ve built several passive houses and I have been working with Praxis for many years, so I was confident going into the course, and excited to learn new skills to help me improve the Passivhaus building projects that I’m working on. Above all, I’m keen to apply what I’ve learnt and do the Passivhaus Site Supervision on other projects now!

Álvaro M: : I’ve known the Praxis team for a while now, both in the teaching and professional fields, so that gave me a lot of confidence.

Praxis: How do you feel after doing our course and how has it helped you?

Toni P: Very happy to have done it, with the feeling of having learned and having taken another step forward as an expert in Passivhaus construction.

Álvaro M: I feel very satisfied, it’s everything I expected and even more. The course has had an eminently practical tone, without skimping on the theoretical concepts. The general level of the classes has been very high. The diversity of speakers talking about real projects has been very instructive. The course really fills the gap between theory and practice, by training technicians in the on-site challenges of Passivhaus buildings, as Site Supervisors and Construction Verifiers.


Praxis: Who would you recommend this course to?

Toni P: To any professional working on-site in high-performance and Passivhaus projects, whether designers, project or site managers.

Álvaro M: To any professional interested in Passivhaus, and more specifically to construction professionals who want to be specifically prepared for the on-site challenges of high-performance projects. Having previously trained as a Passivhaus Designer and Tradesperson and with on-site experience, I feel that the course has perfectly closed the loop between theory and practice.


Check out our next courses (currently in Spanish only, but soon available in English!)

Icono curso Supervisión

Supervisión de Obra en Edificios Passivhaus

Curso oficial Passivhaus, para obtener competencias avanzadas para la ejecución de obras Passivhaus. Si tienes la titulación Passivhaus Tradesperson, te prepara para el examen para la obtención del título “Supervisión de obra Passivhaus”.

¡Inscripciones abiertas!

Fecha inicio: 07/11/2023

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Curso Supervisión de Obra en edificios Passivhaus

Verificación de la Construcción en Edificios Passivhaus

Curso oficial Passivhaus, obtendrás competencias avanzadas de planificación, gestión, ejecución y entrega de obras Passivhaus. Si tienes la titulación Passivhaus Designer, te prepara para el examen de la obtención del título “Verificación de la construcción Passivhaus”.

¡Inscripciones abiertas!

Fecha inicio: 24/10/2023

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Contacta con Praxis

Get in touch with us

Are you interested on our Passivhaus courses in English?











    Cabana GR4 Passivhaus

    PHI Low Energy Building certification for single family house with a treated floor area of 125.4 m², located in Castellcir, Barcelona.

    Cabana GR4 Passivhaus

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    PHI Low Energy Building certification for single family house with a treated floor area of 125.4 m², located in Castellcir, Barcelona. Designed by Lluís Jubert of Taller d´Arquitectura, promoted by Núria Grau and Jaume Ribas and built by Albert Fargas of Farhaus.  

    The construction system is lightweight timber frame, using low-emission, bio-based materials with low environmental impact to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and provide a healthy indoor environment. The high level of insulation, minimised thermal bridges and triple low-e glazing with Farhaus timber frames, reduce heating energy demand in the winter. In the summer, external blinds reduce solar gains and overheating. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is provided by a Zehnder ComfoAir 180 HRV.

    As part of the Passivhaus audit, Praxis revised the calculations and design documentation presented by the Passivhaus Consultant, which include architectural and M&E drawings and reports, the PHPP calculation, the Blower Door test report, ventilation commissioning documentation and photographs of the construction process and the completed building.

    Links:

    International Passivhaus Projects database

    Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

    Year: 2021

    Location: Castellcir, Barcelona

    Services:
    Passivhaus certification

    Casa AYA

    Casa AYA is the first straw bale home built to Passivhaus standard in Latin America. Designed by Martin Comas of Arquitectura Regenerativa – aRRe, with Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Building providing Passivhaus audits, the home is located in Carrasco, Uruguay.

    Casa AYA

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    Casa AYA is the first straw bale home built to Passivhaus standard in Latin America. Designed by Martin Comas of Arquitectura Regenerativa – aRRe, with Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Building providing Passivhaus audits, the home is located in Carrasco, Uruguay.

    During the Passivhaus certification process, Praxis audited the calculation and design documents presented by the Passivhaus Designer, including the PHPP energy model, thermal bridge calculations, architectural and service drawings and reports, the Blower Door test report, the ventilation commissioning report, and photographic documentation of the construction process, to ensure that the building was built as designed and as calculated in the PHPP model.

    Photos: Martin Comas

    Enlaces:

    International Passivhaus Projects database:

    Year: 2022

    Location: Carrasco, Uruguay

    Services:
    Passivhaus certification

    Casa Sg Costa

    liver Style of Praxis Resilient Buildings has carried out the Passivhaus Plus certification of this single-family home in Sitges, Catalonia, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture.

    Casa Sg Costa

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Buildings has carried out the Passivhaus Plus certification of this single-family home in Sitges, Catalonia, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture.

    During the Passivhaus certification process, Praxis audited the calculations and design documents presented by the Passivhaus Designer, including the PHPP energy model, thermal bridge calculations, architectural and HVAC drawings and reports, the Blower Door test report, the ventilation commissioning report, and photographic documentation of the construction process, to ensure that the building was built as designed and as calculated in the PHPP model.

    Photos: Joan Giribet

    More information about the project in our Blog article: https://praxis-rb.com/casa-sg-costa-passivhaus-plus-en-clima-calido/

    Links:

    International Passivhaus Projects database

    Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

    Year: 2022

    Location: Sitges, Cataluña

    Services:
    Passivhaus certification

    Passivhaus home in Lekunberri

    Praxis has carried out the Passivhaus Classic certification of this single-family home in Lekunberri, Navarra, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Pedro Mariñelarena Albéniz, together with Itziar Iriarte Zubiría.

    Passivhaus home in Lekunberri

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    Praxis has carried out the Passivhaus Classic certification of this single-family home in Lekunberri, Navarra, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Pedro Mariñelarena Albéniz, together with Itziar Iriarte Zubiría.

    This single-family home was designed and built using bio-construction criteria. Outer walls are made of exposed CLT panels, insulated externally with 240mm of wood fibre insulation and natural lime render. A Zehnder Q350 HRV unit provides mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. The timber window frames were supplied by Iribarren, a local manufacturer located in the Navarra region. The house achieved an impressive blower door test of n50 = 0.27 ach. A De Dietrich ALEZIO S 6 MR air-to-water heat pump delivers space heating with underfloor heating, as well as producing domestic hot water.

    Links:

    International Passivhaus Projects database

    Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

    Year: 2023

    Location: Lekunberri, Navarra

    Services:
    Passivhaus certification

    Learnlife’s Eco Hub wins the Low-Tech Prize in the prestigious Green Solutions Awards 2022-2023

    Learnlife’s Eco Hub, the Passivhaus Classic certified pop-up learning space located in Castelldefels, Spain, has won the Low-Tech Prize in the Green Solutions Awards 2022-2023!

    Learnlife’s Eco Hub wins the Low-Tech Prize in the prestigious Green Solutions Awards 2022-2023

    El Eco Hub de Learnlife gana el Premio Low-Tech

    Learnlife’s Eco Hub, the Passivhaus Classic certified pop-up learning space located in Castelldefels, Spain, has won the Low-Tech Prize in the Green Solutions Awards 2022-2023!

    6 experts from the sector analysed the submissions and praised the Eco Hub for the social aspect of its spaces, as well as the non-permanent structure, which blends in with nature and reduces the environmental impact of the building.

    Designed by Sol Espoille, with Ramiro Chiaradia as collaborating architect, and Praxis Resilient Buildings delivering Passivhaus Consultancy and Blower Door testing, the Eco Hub is a pioneering learning space, sustainability, and innovation centre, built on the sea front in Castelldefels, near the city of Barcelona. The project provides a scalable, modular, prefabricated construction system for the rapid assembly of healthy learning spaces with good air quality and thermal comfort, fit for warm climates.

    Exterior Eco Hub de Learnlife
    Interior Eco Hub de Learnlife

    Learnlife is an organisation based in Barcelona whose goal is to build an open ecosystem for a new lifelong learning paradigm alongside existing education systems. Christopher Pommerening, Learnlife Founder, said: “We’re honoured to receive this prestigious award. The Eco Hub was designed to provide a learning environment that enables children to flourish, connects with nature and has a positive environmental impact.

    “The award recognises this and highlights the possibilities for change in developing purpose-inspired learning spaces that have wellbeing and the environment as pillars of their design.” 

    Certificado Casa Pasiva

    The Eco Hub is built from a series of prefabricated lightweight timber modules, built off-site, and assembled in-situ, installed on screw pile foundations, meaning it can be disassembled in the future, moved, and re-assembled elsewhere. The design team prioritised the use of healthy, low emission materials, with low embodied energy, including internal finishes with low-emission paints on fibreboard made from recycled gypsum and cellulose fibres from post-consumer waste. The module is equipped with a Passivhaus certified Zehnder mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, and a 2.73 kWp solar PV array that generates around 90% of the building’s energy consumption.

    Do you want to build or retrofit a nearly-zero energy learning space with excellent air quality, great comfort, and absurdly low energy bills?

    Contact us here and let’s talk through your project.

    Photos: Jordi Vila Marta – Argotphoto

    Links:

    Ca Na Lola

    Ca Na Lola is a single-family home located in Campos, Mallorca, which has achieved Passivhaus Plus certification. The home has a very low level of air infiltration, with a Blower Door test result of 0.38 ach at 50 Pa.

    Ca Na Lola: Mediterranean Passive House

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    Ca Na Lola is a single-family home located in Campos, Mallorca, which has achieved Passivhaus Plus certification. The home has a very low level of air infiltration, with a Blower Door test result of 0.38 ach at 50 Pa. A solar photovoltaic generator installed in the garden generates approximately twice as much energy as the house consumes in an average year.

    Ca Na Lola has a timber structure with wood fibre insulation and a mineral mortar render as an exterior finish. The windows are shaded with external blinds and a pergola adds further shading on the south façade.

    Mechanical ventilation with heat and moisture recovery is taken care of by a Zehnder Comfoair Q350 ERV unit with Passivhaus component certification for hot climates, recovering both heat and moisture.

    A Mitsubishi air-to-water heat pump produces domestic hot water. A second Mitsubishi VRV heat pump delivers underfloor heating and cooling through ducted split units.

    Links:

    Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database 

    International Passivhaus Projects database

    Year: 2022

    Location: Campos, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares

    Services:
    Passivhaus Consultancy

    Casa #SgPi

    Praxis has carried out the Passivhaus Premium certification of this single-family home in Sant Pere de Ribes, Barcelona, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture.

    Casa #SgPi

    Passivhaus

    Praxis cabecera proyectos

    Description

    Praxis has carried out the Passivhaus Premium certification of this single-family home in Sant Pere de Ribes, Barcelona, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture.

    The house has a useful floor area of 254 m2 over a ground floor and three upper floors.  The project was developed by reusing an existing structure that remained unfinished, built more than 10 years ago on the same plot, thus reducing the environmental impact of the house.

    Outer walls consist of a honeycomb brick with 10cm of high-performance EPS external thermal insulation. The roofs have between 10cm and 20cm of XPS insulation, and the window frames are Passivhaus certified WERU Afino One PVC with triple glazing and exterior shading devices.

    An excellent result was achieved in the “Blower Door” air tightness test of n50 = 0.22 ach.

    A solar photovoltaic array supplied by Prot Energia was installed on the roof, which generates 11,313 kWh/a of renewable energy. The owner also has an off-site solar photovoltaic installation that generates 10,609 kWh/a, totalling 21,922 kWh/a. The house is expected to consume a total of 6,864 kWh/a.

    Through the Passivhaus certification process, Praxis audited all the calculation and design documents presented by the Passivhaus Designer, including the PHPP calculation, thermal bridge calculations, architectural and service drawings and reports, the Blower Door test report, the ventilation commissioning report, and photographic documentation of the entire construction process, to ensure that the building was built as designed and as calculated in the PHPP energy model.

    PEP: https://www.plataforma-pep.org/ejemplos-ph/casa-sgpi/

    iPHA: https://passivehouse-database.org/index.php?lang=en#d_7297

    Photos: Joan Giribet

    Year: 2023

    Location: Sant Pere de Ribes, Catalonia

    Services:
    Passivhaus certification

    Casa #SgPi: Premium Passive House in Sant Pere de Ribes, Catalonia

    Premium Passive House in Sant Pere de Ribes. A building that achieves Passivhaus Premium certification generates, 3 to 4 more energy than it consumes, offering optimal thermal comfort, impeccable air quality and absurdly low energy bills.

    Casa #SgPi: Premium Passive House in Sant Pere de Ribes, Catalonia

    Casa #SgPi: vivienda Passivhaus Premium en Sant Pere de Ribes

    What do you do when you come across the existing structure of a house, a remnant of the Spanish real estate bubble of 2007, which left skeletons of building structures scattered throughout the Iberian Peninsula?

    Easy: You re-use it, reducing the project’s embodied carbon and turn it into a Passivhaus Premium! A building that achieves Passivhaus Premium certification generates (through on-site or off-site renewable energy installations), 3 to 4 more energy than it consumes, offering optimal thermal comfort, impeccable air quality and absurdly low energy bills. Sounds impossible? Well, here it’s become a reality…

    La Casa #SgPi acabada

    The completed Casa #SgPi

    La estructura existente antes de la intervención

    The existing structure before the intervention

    Casa #SgPi is designed by architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo  of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture, and certified by Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Buildings. The house has WERU Afino One PVC windows, equipped with argon filled low-emissivity triple glazing and insulating spacers, offering excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. “When we close all the windows, the silence inside the house is incredible!”, says Edu Altés, co-developer of the house and CEO of Prot Energía, who did the photovoltaic installation on the roof of the house that generates 11,313 kWh/a of renewable energy. Off-site, Prot Energia has installed another PV generator, owned by them (a requirement for it to be included in the Premium certification) – which generates 10,609 kWh/a, totalling 21,922 kWh/a. The house is expected to consume a total of 6,864 kWh/a. What does this all mean? It means that, in an average year, 3.2 times more energy will be generated from on-site and off-site renewable sources, than the house itself consumes. Way to go!

    El generador fotovoltaico in-situ

    The on-site photovoltaic generator

    Inversor & baterías

    Inverter & batteries

    The fantastic indoor air quality is another thing that the owners of this house comment on

    This is thanks to a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, which ensures a constant renewal of fresh air and optimal indoor air quality, recovering heat from the exhaust air to preheat the incoming air, thus reducing the heating energy demand in winter. In summer, the process is reversed, and the heat recovery unit cools the incoming air (when the air conditioning is on). Also, when the outdoor temperature is below the indoor temperature, the bypass opens automatically, providing “free cooling”. This also helps to reduce air conditioning consumption.

    Imagen del equipo de medición para el ensayo “Blower Door”

    Image of the measuring equipment for the “Blower Door” test

    Resultado de la infiltraciones de aire a 50Pa de depresión

    Infiltration air flow at -50Pa of pressure

    An excellent result was achieved in the “Blower Door” air tightness test, of n50 = 0.2 air changes per hour, 3 times below the Passivhaus certification limit of n50 ≤ 0.6 ach.  Typically, a newly built home in Spain with an “A” energy certification will have an air permeability of between 3 ach and 6 ach at 50 Pa. This means that- on the one hand- there are no cold draughts in winter that generate discomfort and send energy bills rocketing, and- on the other hand- hot and humid air doesn’t come leaking in through the envelope in summer.

    : vivienda Passivhaus Premium en Sant Pere de Ribes
    : vivienda Passivhaus Premium en Sant Pere de Ribes

    From Praxis Resilient Buildings we’re really proud to have been able to certify this home with the highest certification class of the Passivhaus standard: Premium! Huge congratulations to all the people and companies that participated in the design and on-site: reaching Passivhaus certification isn’t easy, but it’s the result of a lot of hard work and attention to detail…and above all, team work!

    Do you want a Passivhaus certified passive house?, contact us using this form!

    Photos: Joan Giribet & Timo Hoek

    International Passivhaus Projects database: https://www.plataforma-pep.org/ejemplos-ph/casa-sgpi/

    Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database: https://passivehouse-database.org/index.php#d_7297

    Healthy home: materials and indoor air quality

    The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that the air in our homes is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. After spending so much time at home during successive COVID lockdowns, the importance of living in a healthy home has perhaps become clearer than ever before.

    Healthy home: materials and indoor air quality

    Materiales y calidad del aire, claves para los espacios saludables
    Figure 1: Example of materials that can affect a home’s indoor air quality [Source: Jose Hevia / H.A.U.S]

    The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that the air in our homes is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. After spending so much time at home during successive COVID lockdowns, the importance of living in a healthy home has perhaps become clearer than ever before.

    What kind of environmental conditions are we looking for in a healthy home? Operative or comfort temperatures of between 20 ºC – 25ºC, relative humidity between 40 % – 60%, and surface temperatures ≤ 3ºC of the indoor air temperature.  With an indoor air temperature of 20ºC and a relative humidity of 50%, interior surfaces need to be ≥ 13ºC to prevent the risk of mould growth, and ≥ 9ºC to avoid surface condensation. Exposure to mould spores can cause health issues such as eye, skin and throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, coughing and wheezing. Alongside healthy thermal conditions, good indoor air quality is key for wellbeing, solved largely by good ventilation, but also by preventing the entrance of outdoor contaminants (such as particulate matter, radon gas etc.) and by reducing the generation of indoor contaminants due to emissions from materials, furniture, and finishes.

    If continuous and controlled ventilation is key, we need to get to the root of the problem: to reduce and avoid materials that emit toxic chemicals in our home. In this article Oliver Style explains what to be on the lookout for, and presents three certification systems that are useful for choosing healthy products and materials.

    What does indoor air contain?

    To live in a healthy environment, we need to look at the products, materials and furniture we have in our home, since we breathe the particles they emit and we are often in direct physical contact with them.

    The first step is to choose paints, varnishes, timber, ceramics, textiles, and furniture with a very low emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are of both natural and artificial origin. They all share the common characteristic that they are made of carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, halogens, oxygen, or sulphur. They are present in solids or liquids and are either volatile or occur in a gaseous state at room temperature, which means they move quickly around indoor spaces. Some of them modify the chemical composition of their local environment and are harmful to our health.

    Formaldehyde, a colourless, volatile, and toxic gas (classified as carcinogenic by the EU), and other VOCs, are often found in paints, paint strippers, wood preservatives, wood products, binders, glues, waxes, plastics, pesticides, aerosols, synthetic carpets, cleaning products, disinfection products and degreasers. Health effects include asthma, eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, liver, kidney and central nervous system damage. VOCs can be endocrine disruptors and cause respiratory and hormonal diseases, prolonged sleep and behavioural disorders, reproductive disorders and foetal development, cancer, and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).

    Another harmful component to pay close attention to is particulate matter (PM)- fine particles and fibres with a diameter of 10 micrometres (PM10) or less (PM2.5 and PM 1). PM2.5 particles can reach the lungs, and PM1 can reach the bloodstream. Short and long-term exposure to these particles is associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including lung cancer. These diseases become more evident when the fibres come from highly toxic materials such as asbestos.

    Which are the best materials and products to use in our home?

    To avoid and minimize harmful substances inside the home, it’s best to look for products that have been modified or processed as little as possible, made with low-emission paints, varnishes, and glues, formaldehyde free, and if possible, certification for low emissions. Three such certification systems are mentioned below, which classify materials and products and quantify their harmful emissions.

    Linoleum or solid wood floors are recommended because they usually contain few adhesives and generally have low emissions. Anything that has been varnished or coated in a controlled factory environment (rather than on-site) will lead to lower emissions in the home. If you use laminated timber flooring, look for one that is free of formaldehyde.

    Carpets are in generally not advisable, as they end up collecting all kinds of particles, and in some cases, contain volatile coal ash or polyurethane laminates. Natural fibre carpets are recommended.

    Furniture and wood composite products can be a significant source of emissions because they are often made with urea-formaldehyde adhesives. Look for solid wood or plywood furniture, free of formaldehydes. 

    As far as kitchen counters go, natural rock is a good option, such as quartz. Alternatively, look for Corian (a synthetic material for solid surfaces composed of acrylic resin and aluminium hydroxide).

    As for thermal insulation, exposure to sprayed foam insulation containing isocyanates can cause asthma. If you use fiberglass or mineral wool insulation, make sure it’s formaldehyde free. In general, bio-based or mineral insulation are the healthiest options.

    Be careful: products are sometimes sold as “ecological” due to their recycled content, but they can be harmful to your health. For example, some ceramic tiles are made with recycled glass from cathode ray tubes from old TVs, which are considered hazardous waste due to their high lead content.

    Emissions & materials: certification systems

    1. French certification for indoor air emissions

    Emisiones Dans l’air intérieur
    Figure 2: Example of the indoor air emissions certification, with A+ product rating

    The label “Émissions dans l’air interieur” classifies building materials, furniture and finishing products marketed in France, being mandatory for all products sold there. The certification classifies products according to VOC emissions, from A+ to C (A+ being lowest emissions), according to the ISO 16000 standard. If a product exceeds the limits, it cannot be sold (admittedly “C” class is not very demanding…). The following emissions are evaluated:

    • Formaldehyde
    • Acetaldehydes
    • Toluene
    • Trichloroethylene
    • Xylenes
    • 1, 2, 4 Trimethylbenzene
    • 1, 4 Dichlorobenzene
    • Ethylbenzene
    • 2 Butoxyethanol
    • Estriol

    2. Baubiologie Rosenheim Institute certification

    Geprüft und empfohlen
    Figure 3: IBR Certificate Seal

    The IBR, Institute for Biologically Sound Construction, is a German institution that certifies healthy and environmentally sustainable consumer construction products, and includes a series of tests that measure the emissions of a product, including:

    • Radioactivity
    • Biocides
    • Polychlorinated biphenyls
    • Heavy metals
    • VOC
    • Formaldehydes
    • Biological compatibility
    • Electrostatics

    3. Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort certification

    Eurofins

    This certification systems classifies construction products into two categories: Standard level “Indoor Air Comfort – certified product”, which shows compliance with product emissions criteria established by EU authorities, and Higher level “Indoor Air Comfort GOLD – certified product”, which shows additional compliance for product emissions with the criteria set by the most relevant ecolabels and sustainable building organisations in the EU.

    MICA Wall indoor air quality sensor
    Figure 5: MICA Wall indoor air quality sensor

    What you don’t measure you can’t improve

    There are several testing laboratories in Spain for the measurement and certification of materials and their VOC emissions, such as Tecnalia, and SGS. What if I want to measure the indoor air quality of my home without spending a fortune? There’s affordable equipment with reasonable accuracy, such as the range of MICA sensors, manufactured by Inbiot. They measure VOC’s, formaldehydes, ozone, suspended particles, radon gas, CO2, temperature and relative humidity.

    The following figure shows measured data from a MICA sensor of formaldehyde concentration in a bedroom over the course of a week.

    According to the technical standard of measurement in Baubiologie SBM2015 for rest areas, values above 100 μg/m3 are already extremely significant. “The search for emission sources is a bit like looking for a needle in haystack, based on the data and measurements. But you can gradually discard sources until you find the culprit” says Maria Figols, Project Manager at InBiot.

    Figure 6: Formaldehyde concentration measured in a bedroom for one week in December 2019

    Better living with less emissions

    Creating healthy indoor environments is clearly on the agenda, with the construction sector on centre stage. Choosing the right low-emission materials will improve indoor air quality and can help reduce illness for occupants, in the short, medium, and long term. Using products with some of the certification systems shown above is a good place to start. Alongside emissions, these kind of certification systems also assess the environmental impact of a product, making sure they don’t pose a significant hazard during manufacturing, deconstruction, recycling or waste treatment phases. Reducing the source of indoor contaminants should always be the first step. The second step- and equally important- is controlled and efficient ventilation.

    Acknowledgements

    To Maria Figols and Xabi Alaez from InBiot for their contributions.

    Bibliography

    [1] Guía Edificios y Salud, Siete Llaves para un edificio saludable. García de Frutos, Daniel et al. Consejo General de la Arquitectura Técnica de España, Consejo General de Colegios de Médicos. Enero 2020.

    [2] Monitorización de vivienda de alta eficiencia, 30 Marzo 2020. InBiot. https://wiki.inbiot.es/monitorizacion-de-vivienda-de-alta-eficiencia/